30 YEARS OF IMPACT
For three decades, the Baltimore Curriculum Project (BCP) has been transforming public education and strengthening neighborhoods across Baltimore. Founded in 1996, BCP has grown from a bold idea into Maryland’s largest neighborhood charter school operator, serving thousands of students and families with a commitment to excellence, equity, and community.
This year, the Baltimore Curriculum Project marks 30 years of inspiring students, empowering teachers, and strengthening communities across Baltimore. From our early days to today, BCP has been dedicated to providing high-quality education that meets each child where they are and prepares them for a bright future.
Celebrate 30 years with us:
We’re celebrating this milestone with special events, community stories, and opportunities to honor the educators, students, and families who make our work possible. Join us in reflecting on the past, celebrating the present, and shaping the next 30 years of educational excellence.
- Restorative Practices Make Strong Schools: Created by Voices for Restorative Schools, this short documentary tells the story of Restorative Practices at City Springs Elementary/Middle School and Hampstead Hill Academy.
- BCP 30-Year Impact Report & Film: A look back at our accomplishments and stories from the past three decades.
- Leading Minds Symposium: Hear from education experts on how the public education field has evolved and where it’s headed next.
- Are You Smarter Than a BCP Gala: A fun evening bringing together friends and supporters to celebrate our impact.
- Volunteer Days of Service: Hands-on opportunities to engage directly with BCP schools throughout the year.
- 30 Voices for 30 Years: Short videos featuring perspectives from students, teachers, families, school leaders, and community partners across our six schools, highlighting the diverse voices that make BCP strong.
As part of our 30th anniversary celebration, we invite you to join the $30 for 30 Years campaign by contributing to the Muriel Berkeley Innovation Fund. Your gift honors BCP’s founder by investing in bold, forward-thinking programs that empower our students and strengthen our schools. With your support, we can keep Muriel’s legacy alive for the next generation of learners and educators.
Honor BCP's Founder Muriel Berkeley
BCP History & Milestones
Explore BCP’s history and key milestones, from our founding to today. As you navigate the timeline below, you’ll find links to news articles, stories, and highlights from each period, bringing our three decades of growth and impact to life.
A History of the Baltimore Curriculum Project, written by Muriel Berkeley & R. John Blackley in 2002, this book traces BCP’s early beginnings before it became a charter operator.
Laying the Foundation: 1996-2006
The Start of Baltimore Curriculum Project
Founded in 1996 by Dr. Muriel Berkeley and Robert C. Embry, Jr., BCP’s original mission was to provide Baltimore City public schools with a high-quality, unified curriculum.
For the first five months, BCP members did little more than research – reading books and articles, visiting schools whose activities showed promise, attending conferences, talking with teachers and principals.
Their search led them to Direct Instruction (DI), a research-based, highly structured teaching model proven to help students of all abilities master reading. After seeing the program’s success in other districts, Dr. Berkeley brought Direct Instruction to Baltimore.
School Transformation
With a five-year commitment from the Abell Foundation, BCP implemented Direct Instruction (DI) in six elementary schools, providing coaching, resources, and professional development.
The first schools to join the project were Roland Park Elementary, Hampstead Hill Elementary, City Springs Elementary, Arundel Elementary, General Wolfe Elementary, and Robert W. Coleman Elementary.
BCP also offered technical assistance to 18 Baltimore City Public School System schools that implemented Direct Instruction/Core Knowledge reforms during this time.
From Curriculum Support to School Management
In 1997, Baltimore City Public Schools launched the New School Initiative, an experimental model for school management. These hybrid schools were publicly funded but privately managed, operating under contracts with the central office while maintaining independence in hiring staff and choosing curricula. At the time, Maryland had no charter law, but the initiative functioned in many ways like a precursor to charter schools.
BCP became one of the first nonprofits to operate a school under Baltimore City’s New Schools Initiative. Founder Dr. Muriel Berkeley sought more control to ensure Direct Instruction was implemented with fidelity, noting the challenge of conflicting directives from the district: “…puts teachers in the crossfire.”
City Springs Elementary became BCP’s first directly operated Baltimore City school, paving the way for future growth.
In 2002, BCP assumed operation of Collington Square School and Hampstead Hills Academy under the New School Initiative.
Charter Conversion and Growth
In 2003, the Maryland General Assembly passed the Charter School Law, creating a legal structure for publicly funded schools to operate with greater autonomy while remaining accountable to local school boards.
Baltimore City became the first district to implement the new law. BCP quickly embraced the opportunity, converting City Springs, Collington Square, and Hampstead Hill Academy into charter schools opening in 2005.
A Model of School Reform
By the 2005–2006 school year, BCP had established itself as a leader in educational reform, using Direct Instruction with proven results.
City Springs Elementary, once one of Baltimore’s lowest-performing schools, transformed within six years: classrooms became calm, students were engaged, and test scores rose dramatically — a true turnaround in both learning and school culture.
This transformation is highlighted in the PBS documentary,The Battle of City Springs.
Growth and Setbacks: 2006-2016
Expanding Our Neighborhood Schools
In 2007, Dr. Rayner Browne Elementary and General Wolfe Elementary also became BCP charter schools, expanding the BCP network to 5 schools.
Restorative Practices
The following year, BCP introduced Restorative Practices at City Springs and Hampstead Hill Academy with the assistance of OSI-Baltimore and the Goldsmith Family Foundation.
By 2016, Baltimore City Public Schools saw the benefit and began to implement restorative practices district-wide, starting with 14 schools in 2018. Today, more than 25 schools use this approach to strengthen relationships and support student growth.
Read the 2023 report on the impact of Restorative Practices within Baltimore City Public Schools.
Watch the 2025 short documentary, Restorative Practices Make Strong Schools, featuring City Springs and Hampstead Hill as exemplars.
Community Schools Model
The community school model integrates academics, student support, family engagement, and community partnerships to address the full range of student needs. BCP began adopting this approach in 2007 at Wolfe Street Academy, providing wraparound services, enrichment programs, and strong neighborhood connections.
Connecting Minds, Measuring Growth
In 2008, BCP started the Leading Minds symposium to bring together educators, policymakers, and community leaders to discuss the most pressing issues affecting Baltimore City schools. This dynamic forum sparks collaboration, shapes policy, and drives real change in public education.
Around the same time, BCP began using the NWEA MAP assessment to track student progress in reading and math, helping teachers tailor instruction and monitor growth.
Lessons from Challenges
While BCP has experienced significant success, it has also faced challenges. In 2010 Baltimore City Public Schools did not renew BCP’s charter for Dr. Rayner Browne Academy due to the fact that the school had not made Adequate Yearly Progress as defined by the No Child Left Behind Legislation, though in the short 2 years of charter operation, achievement had risen in both math and reading.
Read a 2010 Baltimore Sun article
In 2013, City Schools did not renew the contract for Collington Square Elementary/Middle School. These setbacks were difficult but provided BCP with valuable lessons about the complexities of school management, the importance of ongoing support, and the need for strong partnerships between schools, communities, and educational leaders. BCP remains proud of the years of service, growth, and partnership at both schools.
Read
A New Era of Leadership
In 2012 Founder Dr. Muriel Berkley stepped down as CEO of the Baltimore Curriculum Project after more than 15 years of visionary leadership. Laura Doherty, a longtime educator and BCP leader, is named as her successor, ushering in a new era of growth and innovation.
A New Tradition Begins
“Are You Smarter Than a BCP 5th Grader?” launched in 2012 and remains BCP’s only annual fundraiser. Created to bring people together, honor student achievements, and support key programs, the gala has become a beloved celebration of our students and community.
Explore “Are You Smarter Than a BCP Student” past and present events.
Expanding to North Baltimore
2015 BCP converted Govans Elementary into a neighborhood charter school, expanding its network and deepening its commitment to serving Baltimore communities through high-quality, neighborhood-based public education.
Leading the Way: 2016-2026
West Side Charter Expansion
2017 BCP partnered with Baltimore City Public Schools to merge Frederick Elementary and Samuel F.B. Morse Elementary into one unified campus. As part of this effort, the newly combined school is converted into a BCP neighborhood charter, strengthening academic programs and community partnerships on the west side.
Milestone Achievement: Eight-Year Charter Renewal
2019 Wolfe Street Academy becomes the first school in Baltimore City to receive an eight-year charter renewal, a milestone awarded in recognition of 12 years of strong performance, stable leadership, and deep community engagement as part of the BCP network.
BCP’s Pandemic Response
2020 During the COVID-19 pandemic, BCP schools quickly adapted to support families by providing remote learning resources, distributing technology devices and internet access, offering meal programs, and maintaining regular communication to ensure students stayed connected and engaged despite unprecedented challenges.
Expanding to Northwest Baltimore
In 2019, BCP partnered with Pimlico Elementary/Middle School to support school climate and culture, implement restorative practices, and provide teacher support. With engagement from staff, students, and families, BCP later submitted an application to convert Pimlico into a neighborhood charter school.
The Baltimore City School Board approved the application, and in 2021, Pimlico became BCP’s sixth school, expanding the network and continuing our commitment to high-quality education in northwest Baltimore.
Hampstead Hill Academy
Hampstead Hill Academy (HHA) continues to be BCP’s highest-performing and most sought-after charter school, with demand growing each year. In 2022, HHA received an eight-year charter renewal, recognizing its sustained excellence in academics, school culture, and community impact.
High enrollment created overcrowding, and after two years of fundraising through grants and donations, HHA broke ground on a new addition. In 2025, the Newstead Gym opened, providing new athletic space and allowing the former gym to be converted into classrooms, supporting continued growth and student learning.
Over the years, BCP schools have earned local and national recognition.
Celebrate our alumni, explore their stories, and and see how BCP graduates are making their mark.
